Power on Display in Ephesus

Introduction

What is power?

MW - “ability to act or produce an effect”

In order to produce an effect, one must have more capability than the object it is trying to affect.

Ex. To move this chair, I must have the strength to counteract the force of gravity relative to the mass and weight of the chair.

This is true, not only in the physical realm, but in the spiritual realm as well.

To have victory over sin and evil, we must have the ability to conquer it. The problem is, we, in and of ourselves don’t have that capability. We are powerless. But we know the One who does have power over all, and has demonstrated it throughout history.

In our text today, in the city of Ephesus, we see a power struggle ensue on many levels, and we see Christ victorious and glorified as many souls are saved.

Powerful Miracles through Paul

v.13

All miracles are extraordinary but these were even more remarkable

v.12 - “handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.”

Think of Peter’s shadow in Jerusalem (Acts 5:15), or the hem of Jesus’s garment in Matthew 9:20-22

God’s Power and Purpose:

Who did the miracles? God! Paul just a vessel. Why? Doing God’s work, according to God’s Word, to authenticate God’s message.

In fulfillment of John 14:12 and of Acts 1:8 - Jew first, All Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth.

Extraordinary miracles are not common. I.e. if someone on TV tries to convince you to order pieces of cloth with healing power because they have been anointed or prayed over, do not give them your money. They are snake oil salesman, taking advantage of the gullible and the poor. The world is full of such. Is today and was in Acts 19 as well...

Pagan Spiritualistic Practices

v.13-14, 19b

Pagan. Spiritualistic/Superstitious. Practices - widespread in Ephesus.

Magical books known as - “Ephesian letters”

Ex: Greek and Jewish Magical Papyri

They would buy these books of magic and use them on gullible and superstitious people. These books often contained names of gods and religious figures, to be invoked along with incantations, prayers and hymns for all sorts of ailments, curses and fortunes.

Ex. Excerpt from Greek magic papyri - ‘I adjure thee by the God of the Hebrews, Jesus’.

Apparently this was also common among some Jews

God had and has forbid such practices outright

Read Leviticus 19:31, Deuteronomy 18:9-12

v.13 - Jewish Exorcists - itinerant, vagabond, wandering “who went around” (NIV) - made their living by conjuring, spells, exorcisms, etc.

They had even tried to give it credence by attributing charms and spells to Solomon for curing diseases and casting out demons. Jesus could have been referring to this wicked practice in Matthew 12:27

Matthew 12:27 (NASB95)

“If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out?...

As the old saying goes “you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig”

“You can use Jewish or Christian words to practice pagan spiritualism, but it’s still pagan superstition and false spiritualism”

No believer has any place messing around with demonic occultic practices. It is dangerous for anyone to do so.

Some of you have. Others of you will be tempted to. Quija boards, dark movies, music and other media that is preoccupied with and even celebrates all manner of grotesque evils.

Unbeliever, you have no protection from demonic spiritual influence and even oppression. Take care what you open yourself up to.

Believer, you may not be able to be possessed, but you can be influenced and harmed if you mess around with evil.

Beware of the line between harmless fun and entertainment and preoccupation with or celebrations of evil. (Especially this month)

Opening oneself up to demonic forces without any protection or power can be dangerous as we see in these next verses.

Powerlessness Revealed

v.13-16

If you’re going to influence, or threaten, you must have the ability or power to back it up.

These Jewish exorcists thought that power and authority came from words and phrases said in the right way (v.13) - they used Jesus’s name in vain.

Exodus 20:7 NASB95

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Using Jesus’s name in vain is to violate the 2nd commandment.

Two ways people use God’s name in vain

Use it in the wrong way

Use it without the authority to do so - without a knowledge of who He truly is and apart from devotion and faith -

Ex. Jesus gave this authority to His followers and the Apostles alone, not to anyone who will say the magic words. (BTW - that’s why I don’t often use “repeat this prayer”)

without reverence, flippantly, etc. - Ex. Saying God, Christ or Jesus as an exclamation like you would a common curse word. (I dislike cussing, but I am highly offended when someone uses God or Christ’s name as a curse word - Especially a professing Christian!)… wrong way

Use it for the wrong purpose - for own personal agenda, gain - Ex. Preacher who wants fame and fortune, or politician who claims Christianity as a way to get more support.

These “took it upon themselves” (NKJV)

“attempted” NASB - try, endeavor, put one’s hand on - deliberate, willful action

Ex. Luke 1:1 - “many have undertaken to compile an account...”, Acts 9:29 “[the Jews were] attempting to put him to death”

Instance of the Seven Sons of Sceva - v.14

Jewish chief priest - not “The Chief Priest” as the Jews kept records and no mention of this Sceva has ever been found. (Could be that he simply gave himself that title to help along the family business as Jewish traveling witch doctors)

v.15 - The results, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”

Be very careful in speaking of what and of whom you do not know. The stakes may be higher than you realize as these men would find out.

Be careful invoking a name - lest you incur the wrath of the authority you claim as well as the wrath of their enemy!

v.16 - The demon-possessed man then exposes, beats and shames them

Their fancy words were shown to be empty, their priestly robes cast aside. They were stripped of their lies and their pride, leaving with nothing but their lives.

They went in there with no spiritual authority, no spiritual protection and no spiritual power.

Consider, friends, that we are all in such a condition apart from repentance of our sins and faith in the Almighty Son of God who died on the cross for our sins!

No magic words can save. No worldly philosophies. No family affiliation, or religious ritual, or fancy clothes. Strip away all that we try to use to cover up the dirt of our souls and we, like these men stand naked and ashamed before the truth of God’s righteous law. Guilty. Powerless. Fully Exposed. (We need the covering of Christ’s atoning blood!).

Salvation, authority and power come only from a relationship with Jesus Christ! If you are not His child, born again in His Spirit by faith then you have no spiritual authority or power. You are a spiritual liability, dangerous to yourself and to others! You need to repent, turn to Him and be saved!

We need Him, and not just some temporary parlor trick or freebie that His name might get us.

They wanted power but there was a pre-requisite they were missing. A faith relationship with the Savior Himself.

This was shown as they tried to use Jesus as a means for their ends. The reality is, Jesus is the end.

“there is no other name under heaven, given among men by which we must be saved” - He alone has power to cast out demons and He alone has power to truly, fully save - a feat which is the greatest miracle of all. That’s what we see in our last section of scripture this morning.

True Power on Display

v.17-20

When these false spiritualists were exposed, Jesus’s power and authority was all the more evident to the people (v.17).

Fear - reverent awe and respect. Good fear, healthy fear.

You should fear a grizzly in the woods. You should fear a dad when he gets home from work and you’ve mistreated your mom all day. You should fear the Son of God who has power over the raging seas, over demons, over death itself and who will one day judge you and me and all people according to His righteousness.

Name Magnified - extolled, praised, held in high honor (We need an enlarged perspective on our Lord!)

Demonstration of Life-Changing Power (v.18-19)

First, they believed on Jesus - they responded to the gospel message with faith.

The work of Christ was done in power

His word was preached in power

These signs and wonders done in power

They believed by the power of the Holy Spirit of God

They repented. Confessing and disclosing their practice - they admitted it openly, explicitly, with regret and a desire to change.

We underestimate the power of confession of our sins. Face them. Name them. Give them over to Christ whose blood covers and cleanses.

They went further than confession - Brought their books together publicly and burned them (50k silver pieces - 260 work days per year at 5 days, ~192 years wages. For 2000 people, it’d be 25 days wages each. For 1000 it’d be 50 days, 500 people would be 100 days wages.) No doubt this is an accurate statement as this city held a theater that could hold 24000 people.

The Word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.

Conclusion

Jesus has supreme power over all. He can command the wind and the waves. He can make the demons run and flee. He can cast out sickness and free the spiritually captive. He is mighty and yet is humble, compassionate and available to all who will come to Him in faith.

He is a Savior, who arms His followers with saving power that frees from the penalty, power and (one day) presence of sin and evil. But He is not a tool to be used for our own, selfish means.

Come to Him friend. Come in your need.

If you are using Him, or neglecting the reality of who He is - I must warn you. You are like these sons of Sceva in our story, with no spiritual authority, no spiritual protection and no spiritual power. Not only are you vulnerable in this life to the enemy and his schemes, but you will stand before Christ Himself fully exposed with none of those things you trust in to help you - your name, your occupation, your philosophies and knowledge will not serve you, but will condemn you in your sin before Him. You will be found guilty of transgression of the Law of God and the sentence of punishment will be meted out.

But it is not too late. It was not too late for the sons of Sceva - may it be that God is showing the same mercy to you - painful as it may be - showing you the truth of your own weakness and need, that you may run to the Christ who loves you and gave His precious life that your every sin may be forgiven.

Are you here struggling with sin? Weak, powerless? He has power, and though the journey to strength and victory may be long and hard, run to Him who forgives, grants faith and whose Spirit is the Helper to guide and to heal. Cast off sin. Run from it. Confess it and get rid of it like these Ephesians did!